Student Experiences with Continuous Assessment in DCU Futures at Dublin City University

The COVID-19 pandemic and the arrival of generative AI have accelerated a shift towards Continuous Assessment (CA) in higher education. This paper uses data from a broader evaluation of the “Futures” initiative in Dublin City University (DCU) to explore student experiences of different forms of CA. DCU Futures aims to transform the undergraduate experience, in part by a much stronger focus on CA. Survey data from 546 DCU students were used to examine how different models of undergraduate programmes related to student satisfaction with CA. Compared to traditional exams, CA was perceived to be fairer, comprehensive, and less stressful, but a minority viewed it as less accurate. For most forms of CA, increased exposure was associated with higher satisfaction levels. Exceptions were CA formats that required groupwork. The outcomes show the importance of sharing detailed assessment rubrics with students, and of providing ongoing guidance on groupwork.